Tag Archives: Gender Pay Gap

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Equal Pay Day – April 17 – AAUW


AAUW Releases State-By-State Rankings for Equal Pay Day
D.C. Has Best Ranking, Wyoming Worst
 
WASHINGTON – With the release of The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) unveiled new state-by-state equal pay rankings. Updated for the national observance of Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the current year women must work to match what their male counterparts earned last year, The Simple Truth charts the wage gap in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
 
The wage gap is narrowest in the nation’s capital, where women have the best earning’s ratio — 91 cents, on average, for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. The state with the worst earnings ratio is Wyoming, where women make 64 percent of men’s earnings. The national average puts women at just 77 percent.
 
The wage gap costs working women and their families tens of thousands of dollars in lost wages and directly affects women’s retirement security. These numbers are worse for women of color, and The Simple Truth examines racial and ethnic breakdowns. White and Asian women earn, respectively, 82 percent and 88 percent of white men’s earnings. African American and Hispanic women earn much less — just 70 percent and 61 percent of what white men earn, on average.
 
“Equal Pay Day, which this year falls on April 17, is an unfortunate reminder of how far we have to go to reach true pay equality. The wage gap hasn’t moved significantly in nearly a decade, and at this rate, we’ll be marking Equal Pay Day for the next 60 years,” said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE.
 
In addition to the release of The Simple Truth, AAUW branches across the nation will mark Equal Pay Day by holding rallies, wearing red to symbolize how women’s wages are in the red, handing out Pay Day candy bars, and hosting bake sales with discounts for women.
 
“The gender pay gap is unlikely to go away on its own. Our publications and tools will empower our advocacy on behalf of women and their families,” said Catherine Hill, AAUW director of research. “The Simple Truth is a useful resource for women, the media, and society at large as we work to address this stubborn inequality.”
 
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The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Since 1881, AAUW has been one of the nation’s leading voices promoting education and equity for women and girls. AAUW has a nationwide network of more than 100,000 members and donors, 1,000 branches, and 600 college/university institutional partners. Since AAUW’s founding 130 years ago, members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW’s commitment to educational equity is reflected in its public policy advocacy, community programs, leadership development, conventions and conferences, national partnerships, and international connections.
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It’s Time For An Upgrade: Let’s End the Mommy Penalty for NY Women!
The New York Women’s Equality Coalition has just relaunched a statewide digital and grassroots campaign to demand a Women’s Equality Agenda for New York State. Our campaign shines a spotlight on the need to update and strengthen New York State laws to reflect the reality of women’s lives in 2013. The Coalition has also launched an exciting video highlighting the antiquated laws in New York that need an upgrade.
Illegal or Just Sleazy? Watch to Find Out…
Test your knowledge of the gaps in New York’s discrimination laws by watching  this video. Then show it to your friends, your family, and your legislators! Send it, post it, tweet it, and get involved in the push to pass the Women’s Equality Agenda before it dies on December 31st. Click on the picture below to see and share the video.
Mind The (Motherhood Wage) Gap!
We recently focused on women, like Armanda Legros, who are demanding that state legislators stand up for pregnant women and new mothers in New York State. Read our Op-Ed in the Albany Times Union  here.
This week, we focus on the wage gap. Women in New York make only 84% of men’s earnings, and the percentage is even worse for women of color. Mothers in particular are less likely to be hired and promoted, and, on average, receive a lower salary, than their childless counterparts. The Women’s Equality Agenda would help close this maternal wage gap by prohibiting discrimination against parents in the workplace and strengthening our state’s equal pay laws. Every day that our legislators fail to take action is another day that the women of New York lose out! Read our blog post here.
Please take a moment to  sign Armanda’s petition and tell legislators that New York needs the Women’s Equality Agenda!
Twitter Rally TOMORROW 12-1pm ET!
What else can you do to make your voice heard? We’re having a twitter rallyTOMORROW, Wednesday, 12pm-1pm on the maternal wage gap. Here are a few sample tweets you can use to let your followers know that the “mommy penalty” is unfair, senseless, and needs to end NOW!

  • In NY, moms make 5% less per child than their childless peers. We need legislators to pass the #WEA and #UpgradeNY to end this now!
  • A bigger family shouldn’t mean a smaller salary! Pass the #WEA to end the mommy penalty for NY women #UpgradeNY
  • We need laws that work as hard as today’s working moms. #UpgradeNY #WEArestrong Learn more @ http://bit.ly/SfMTnO
  • Vintage: Great for t-shirts, bad for New York law. Let’s pass the #WEA and #UpgradeNY today! http://bit.ly/HICp2g
New York’s outdated laws have to change and we won’t stop until women and families have true equality across the state–stay tuned for our new 2014 Women’s Equality Agenda.
Thank you for all your support,
The ABB Team: Sherry, Dina, Phoebe, Jared, Elizabeth, Liz, Risha & Rachel
Donate now to A Better Balance.  Together we can improve the lives of families across the country. 
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Fatima Goss Graves, National Women’s Law Center


National Women's Law Center - Stop Discounting Women

The data are clear.
Women are still being paid less than men in almost every occupation. And fields dominated by women pay less than fields dominated by men. Here’s the part that really drives me crazy — women are even paid less in jobs that are dominated by women, such as nursing, teaching and waitressing.
Are you fired up?
Take a stand in support of equal pay by sharing this graphic today.

Infographic: Help Wanted - Women are still paid less than men in almost every occupation.

When our supporters share our graphics, it helps educate the public about the wage gap.
Here’s the problem: When women bring home smaller paychecks, families have less to pay for basic necessities. At a time when families are relying increasingly on women’s wages, addressing the wage gap is incredibly important.
But to do this, we need people to know about the wage gap. We have to reach beyond our core group of supporters — so that the broader public joins our efforts to close the wage gap once and for all. That’s why we need your help.
Please join us by sharing this graphic today. It’s one small thing you can do to help.
Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Fatima Goss Graves Fatima Goss Graves Vice President for Education and Employment National Women’s Law Center    

P.S. Want to read more? Check out NWLC’s new report outlining the barriers to achieving fair pay and practical steps to close it. Also check out our new website at mywagegap.org.
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MyWageGap.org

1 Comment

National Women's Law Center - Stop Discounting Women
Over a lifetime of work, American women will typically be paid $443,000 less than American men. That’s more than $11,000 a year in lost pay because of the wage gap.
What would you do with an extra $11,000 a year?
Tell us at MyWageGap.org.
An additional $11,000 or more each year would be a game changer for many women. Just think about it — student loans could be paid off, car repairs could be made, child care costs could be covered.
Closing the wage gap wouldn’t just help individual women. It would improve the lives of countless American families.
What does the wage gap mean for you and your family?
Go to MyWageGap.org to tell us what you would you do with an extra $11,000 a year.
Sincerely,
Fatima Goss Graves Fatima Goss Graves Vice President for Education and Employment National Women’s Law Center    

P.S. Do you know another woman who could use an extra $11k? (Who couldn’t?!) Forward this email to your friends, family and co-workers so they can share their answers, too.
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Demand a Vote on the Paycheck fairness Act


National Women's Law Center - Stop Discounting Women
Write Your Representative Today
                It’s time for the House to hold an up or down vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act.
Take Action

Dear Carmen,
Late last week, the House of Representatives blocked a vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act. This was a blow to all of us who have worked so hard on policies to help close the wage gap.
But it’s not over yet! That’s right — there is a way to FORCE a vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro put forward what’s called a “discharge petition” and all we need to do is get 218 Representatives to sign it in order to release the bill for a vote.
That’s where you come in. We need you to urge your Representative to stand up for fair pay by signing the “discharge petition” on the Paycheck Fairness Act. The more noise we make, the more likely we’ll reach our goal.
A vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act is long overdue. For the last decade, the typical woman who works full time, year round has made 77 cents for every dollar earned by her male counterparts. That 23-cent wage gap translates into more than $400,000 in lost wages over a woman’s lifetime.
Here’s why we need the Paycheck Fairness Act. It would:

  • Make it harder for employers to pay women less for doing the same work.
  • Prohibit unfair retaliation against employees who discuss their wages with their co-workers.
  • Guarantee that employers who break the law compensate women for the pay they are owed.

It’s time to move the Paycheck Fairness Act forward. Urge your Representative to sign the discharge petition.
Thank you for all you do.
Sincerely,
Fatima Goss Graves Fatima Goss Graves Vice President for Education and Employment National Women’s Law Center